out of the mystic Babylon and have separated themselves from her, shall not partake of her

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46

plagues,

"first attack, at the feet of an Arab reformer. The event may make a great change in the Mohammedan world; for it appears to me almost certain, that the pilgrimages to Mecca "have had nearly as great an effect in supporting this religion as the first victories and conquests of Mohammed-The Wu"habees are now a considerable people, sufficiently powerful "to resist the divided efforts of the Turks, whose power in "Arabia must decrease in proportion to the aggrandisement "of this roving race of reformers. Indeed the Turks have already found it expedient to court and even purchase the "friendship of their Arab subjects. They have extended their depredations over the greatest part of Arabia; the fate of "Bassora may be said to depend upon the clemency of the conqueror, or rather on his being engaged in other pursuits. "Many places in the Red sea have been obliged to purchase "the good will of the reformer." Tour to Sheeraz. p. 119 -125.

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In the time of Niebuhr this sect of infidels was in its infancy. "Some time since," says he," a new religion sprang up in "the district of El Ared. It has already produced a revolu"tion in the government of Arabia, and will probably here"after influence the state of this country still farther. The "founder of this religion was one Abd ul Wahheb, a native of "Aijane, a town in the district of El Ared-Abd ul Wahheb

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taught, that God is the only object of worship and invoca"tion, as the creator and governor of the world. He forbade "the invocation of saints and the very mentioning of Moham"med or any other prophet in prayer, as practices savouring "of idolatry. He considered Mohammed, Jesus Christ, Moses, "and many others respected by the Sunnites in the character "of prophets, as merely great men whose history might be "read with improvement; denying, that any book had ever

"been

plagues, provided only they keep themselves pure from the blasphemous abominations of Antichristian infidelity.

"been written by divine inspiration, or brought down from "heaven by the angel Gabriel." Travels, vol. ii. p. 131,

134.

I have been favoured from an authority, which cannot be questioned, though I am not at liberty to specify it, with the following circumstantial account of the Wahabees. It is dated December, 1798; and its accuracy and authenticity may be depended upon.

"It is almost seventy years since an Arab from the Nidy "country, whose naine was Moolah Mohammed, and who was "the son of a person named Abdul Wahaub or the slave of the

66

giver, came to Bussora, and afterwards to Bagdad, to study "the law under the most celebrated Mohammedan doctors "then residing at both those places. After finishing his stu"dies at the latter place, he, for the further prosecution of. "them, proceeded to Damascus, where it was first perceived "that he broached opinions which were considered as dangerous, and on account of which he was obliged to fly from "Damascus, and retire to Mousul.

"During his residence at Mousul, Moolah-Mohammed openly "announced as orthodox the doctrines which he held: and "these were esteemed so dangerous by the ecclesiastics and "men of the law there, that he was compelled to leave Mou"sul; and, retiring from thence, he betook himself to Ayenah,

a town in the Nidy country, where he again publicly made "known the articles of his faith, and had the good fortune to "find a convert and patron in Shaik-Ibn-Mahamer, the governor of that place.

66

66

"Shaik-Ibn-Muhamer, proud of possessing this new sectary, gave Moolah-Mohammed his own sister in marriage: and "Moolah-Mohammed some time afterwards, under pretence "that his brother-in-law Mahamer perverted justice and op"pressed

infidelity*. Such being the case, and such likewise being the office of the great maritime power at the

66

time

66 pressed the tribe, murdered him with his own hand at the mosque as he was at prayers; meaning thereby, as he de"clared, to give to the people of Ayenah a proof that his love "of justice was so great that neither the obligations which "he had to, nor the alliance which he had with, Shaik "Mahamer, could withhold him from punishing, even in him, "what he conceived to be a deviation from it.

"The people of Ayenah however appear to have had too "much good sense to esteem as meritorious so horrible a "transaction, and they obliged Moolah-Mohammed to aban "don Ayenah. He fled to Dereach; where he found an asy"lum and protector in Shaik-Ibn-Soud, the governor of that

place, who also embraced his doctrines. With this person "Moolah-Mohammed remained in the capacity of a spiritual " and temporal judge with unbounded authority, until he "died; which event took place about ten years ago. These "two persons, by force and other means, made their own "tribe, and many persons of the neighbouring tribes, converts to the doctrines of Moolah-Mohammed; and the sect became considerable enough to be universally known by the "name of Wahabee. Within these fifteen years it has in"creased so much as to become an object of great jealousy "and attention to the court of Constantinople.

"Shaik-Abdul-Aziz has succeeded his father Ibn-Soud in "the government of the tribe; and Shaik-Hossein has suc"ceeded his father Moolah-Mohammed in the office of Cazi or "Judge of it.

"The religion they profess is Mohammedism according to "the literal meaning of the Koran, following the interpretation. "of Hambelly.

"The following are some of the most remarkable opinions, "which the Wahabees entertain in contradistinction to the "Mohammedans.

VOL. II.

* See the note in page 37.

D

I. "That

time of the end, we cannot reasonably or consistently with prophecy suppose, that it is destined to

perish

I. "That there is but one God, who has neither partner nor equal, and that Mohammed is his prophet: but to profess, that either Mohammed or any of the Imaum have now "the least superintendence over, or can give the smallest "assistance to, the affairs of men, is to make them partners "with God. To invoke them therefore is blasphemy.

II. “That a Mohammedan, who deviates in religious duties in the smallest degree from the literal pure injunctions and precepts of the Koran, is as much a Cafer and unbeliever as a Christian or Jew; and that therefore to make war against him is the positive duty of every Wahabee, or, as they term themselves, true Mussulman,

III. "That all title, honour, and respect to men, are odious "before God; who alone ought to have the titles of Magni"ficent, Mighty, and the like.

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IV. "

That, according to what is revealed in the Koran, all true Mussulmans ought to join in waging continual war against all unbelievers, until they oblige them to become either converts or tributaries: that, in the latter instance, the tributaries should be compelled to wear the coarsest " and most inferior sort of cloaths; should not be allowed the use of horses, nor permitted to build splendid houses; but, in short, should be treated with all the severity laid "down in the Koran.

V. "That all customs, duties, &c. except the Zikal mentioned in the Koran, are unlawful to be levied on the goods "of Mussulmans.

"The principal impositions for the public service, which are lawful, are following.

1. "On all property in specie, an offering of one in forty, or 21 per cent.

2. On property in land, watered naturally and without "labour, one in ten of the produce.

3.

" On

perish in the common wreck of Popish, Infidel, and Mohammedan, nations: and therefore we of course.

cannot

3. "On property in land, watered by wells and with labour, one in twenty of the produce.

4. "On animals, one in forty.

5. "The revenues and produce of all conquered countries "not embracing the faith, to belong to the public.

6. "Of all spoils taken in war, one fifth to be first set apart "for the public use, and the remaining four fifths to be equally "divided, amongst the whole tribe, as well those who were "absent as those who were present at the capture.

7. The general revenue of each particular town or dis❝trict, on being collected, to be divided into five parts: one "of which five parts is to be transmitted to the general trea

sury; and the remaining four to be detained in the town or "district where it is collected, for the purposes of defraying "the different expences of government, relieving the poor, "and entertaining travellers.

VI. "That to swear by Mohammed, Ali, or any other person

or thing, ought to be punished; since an oath is properly calling a witness to our secret thoughts or intentions, of "which there cannot be any other witness than God.

VII. "That it is a species of idolatry to erect magnificent "tombs to the memory of particular persons; but that to kiss "with religious veneration any relics, or any part of these "tombs,` is idolatry itself: that therefore it would be an ac❝tion acceptable in the sight of God to destroy the rich tombs "of the Mohammedan saints in this country and in Persia, and "to appropriate their precious and valuable ornaments to "better and more worthy purposes.

VIII. "That it is wicked to mourn for the dead; for, if they have been good Mussulmans, their souls are in Para"dise, at which we ought to rejoice.

IX. "If any convert apostatizes and afterwards repents, he

may be again admitted to the number of true Mussulmans,

by paying such a fine as may be imposed upon him.